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2016 Winner Feature: Kevin Fruhwirth – Installed by McFarlane

McFarlane in Grand Forks, North Dakota selected Kevin Fruhwirth from East Grand Forks, Minnesota as their 2016 Bryant Community Heroes winner. Kevin is a Retired Veteran who donated his time and free labor to restore the Veterans Section at the Memorial Park North Cemetery in Grand Forks. Below is the nomination that led McFarlane’s panel to select Kevin as their 2016 Community Heroes recipient:

“He retired after 28 Years in the US AirForce and works at UND M-T. He offered his labor to help me with a project to restore the Veterans Section at Memorial Park North Cemetery in Grand Forks. It was in bad need of repair and looked like it was abandoned and forgotten. The white military markers and Grave sites fromWWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War and a grave marker from a Civil War Veteran buried there, were sunken and crooked leaning in all directions. Our Veterans final resting place deserved so much more respect.

The Grand Forks Herald published my picture and a story on the front page of the Herald just before Memorial Day. Kevin read the story and called me. He offered to donate all of his labor on his days off to straighten the many, many markers that were sunken and crooked. He did all the hard work himself and worked every weekend on his days off, even when the temps were in the 90s. I worked on getting donations from the community and was able to raise $16,888.00. Because I didn’t have to pay for his labor, I got to do so much more. With Kevin’s help, we got a new Granite Monument dedicated to all six branches of the service. Also, 2 Solar Lighted Flag Poles and etc it is now a beautiful place. I couldn’t have done it without Kevin. He is truly my Angel.”

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